The Mystery of Ice
by Tansyheart
Summary: A strange new cat has just moved to the Great Forest, and since she's move in, three toms have disappeared. One curious cat, Song, is determined to discover how this new cat is responsible for the disappearances and along the way discovers the horrible truth and how a traumatic past can have a profound impact on a cat's life.
1. Chapter 1

**(This story is loosely based on the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. It's adapted from a play I wrote when I was 14, so it isn't my best work, but I think it's still pretty good. I've edited it about six times, so it's improved a lot. Anyway, it's not a very long story. I should be able to post a new chapter each day.)**

Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly in the early morning sky, sending dappled light through the leaves of tall oak and maple trees that make up the Great Forest. On the grassy forest floor, a group of wild cats sit together, discussing recent tragedies that have befallen on the forest's inhabitants.

"Bird, why do you hate Ice so much?" a dark gray she-cat meowed, staring at the pale gray cat sitting next to her.

A tabby tom answered for the she-cat. "I believe Claw fell in love with her and left Bird. Is that right?"

Bird nodded sadly. "Yes. Claw was my mate and closest friend until Ice came along with her pretty fur and gorgeous eyes. No average tom can ignore her."

The tom shook his head, disagreeing. "I can. Ice is _so _stuck up. Besides, I have Squirrel, and she's the only one for me."

A ginger she-cat glared at the tom. "I'd better be. If Dusty falls in love with Ice, she'll have to fight me for him."

The dark gray she-cat spoke up. "I'm sure she'll stay away from him, Squirrel. Surely she knows not to fight _you."_

"You've got that right, Song," Bird meowed. "Squirrel is the toughest cat in all the forest."

"I don't think Ice cares," Dusty said. "She'd have all the toms fall in love with her if she could. Claw is the third since she came to the Great Forest four seasons ago."

"Remember what happened to Tiger and Stone?" Song whispered sadly.

Bird nodded. "No cat has seen them since Ice had their kittens."

Song shook her head sadly. "Two litters of kittens and only one survived…"

Squirrel gave Song a sympathetic glance. "You practically raised Sasha yourself."

Song tipped her head thoughtfully. "Ice has only been here for four seasons. She's probably lonely and feels like an outsider."

Bird looked uncertain, as if unwilling to believe her sister. "That may be, but she took those toms from us. I say she's evil. Anyone agree?"

Dusty nodded. "I agree."

"Me too," Squirrel mewed.

Song narrowed her eyes, "You could be right, but we don't know. No cat has tried to get to know her. Maybe she's really nice."

Squirrel shook her head decisively. "No, she's just evil."

"Squirrel, we don't know that for sure," Song mewed. "I'm going to talk to her."

Song watched as her friends exchanged uneasy glances. After a long hesitation, Bird whispered, "Be careful, Song."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Song padded confidently through the forest. The sun was shining brightly through the trees, the birds were singing merrily, and the weather was warm. It was a perfect day. Song was sure that Ice would listen to her and soon the two of them would be good friends.

It didn't take long for Song to locate her target. Ice was pacing furiously along the bank of a narrow creek, muttering to herself.

"I hate it here. This dumb forest isn't home. I wish I had never come here," Ice hissed quietly.

Song bounded up to the white cat, who greeted her with a cold glare. The dark gray she-cat was undeterred, mewing brightly, "Hey! Ice! Can you stop for a moment?"

Ice flicked her tail in annoyance. "What do _you _want?"

Song was taken aback by Ice's temper. Suddenly, she felt nervous and was unsure if she really wanted to talk to the unfriendly cat at all. Mustering all of her courage, Song meowed, "I thought that maybe you could use some kindness. I know you haven't been here long."

"I don't need kindness. I am just fine," Ice replied darkly.

The dark gray cat pressed the white cat harder. "You and I both know that's not true."

Ice narrowed her deep blue eyes, "Yes it is. Now leave me alone." The white cat turned to leave, whacking her long tail in Song's face.

With a burst of exasperation, Song's patience withered away and she ran in front of Ice, blocking the cat from leaving. "I'm not done talking to you. Please, just tell me why you took our toms from us. You knew all three of them had mates. Why did you take Tiger? Squirrel misses him so much. What about my Stone? How do you think _I_ feel? How do you think Bird feels about Claw now that he's missing?" she hissed.

Ice didn't answer immediately, sitting down to wash her shiny white pelt. In a quiet voice, she mewed, "I do not care how you feel. What I do is none of your concern."

"Yes it is. _My _Stone is missing. I loved him. I still love him. His kittens should have been mine!" Song wailed, digging her claws into the moist soil.

The white cat tipped her head to one side, thinking. "One kitten from that litter survived. The one you stole from me, yes?"

Song nodded. "I stole her because I was afraid she would die, along with the rest of her litter."

"She should have died," Ice whispered, avoiding Song's questioning gaze.

Confusion swelled within Song. "What do you mean 'she should have died'?"

"I would have killed her if you hadn't taken her," Ice answered calmly.

"You killed them! Your own kittens! Oh, Ice, how could you?" Song cried in disbelief.

Ice stared at Song, hesitating before she answered. "Yes, it is true I killed them. I did not love them," she meowed slowly, as if she was unwilling to admit to her act.

Song sat down on the bank of the creek, her thoughts running blindly in her mind. "So if I hadn't taken Sasha…"

"Then she would have died along with her littermates," Ice finished.

Song felt anger beginning to boil inside her. Forgetting that she ever wanted to befriend the white cat, her voice hardened. "Then I'm glad I was able to rescue her."

"Whatever," Ice mewed dismissively.

A thought struck Song suddenly. If Ice had murdered her kits, what had happen to the toms? "But what about Stone and Tiger? What happened to them?" she asked cautiously.

Ice stared at Song with glittering blue eyes. "I did not need them anymore."

"What do you mean?" Song asked, bewildered.

The white cat was no more informative in her next answer. "I was finished with them."

A wave of horror struck Song. Fearing the worst, she questioned Ice again, "_What did you do?"_

"You must find out the answers yourself if you want to know. I cannot and will not tell you," Ice growled, rising to her paws. It was clear that she was done talking.

Song stood up, ready to follow the white cat. "Why not? Why can't you tell me?"

"You will soon see," Ice mewed ominously, leaving Song standing on the bank, alone and more confused than before.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Song raced through the forest, eager to find her sister and tell her about Ice's ominous words. Her paws skimmed over the grassy forest floor, barely touching the ground. She caught sight of Bird walking toward her den, a hollowed out tree that had fallen long ago.

As Song hurried to her sister's side, she realized the pale gray she-cat was mumbling to herself quietly. "Song is crazy if she thinks she can befriend _that_ cat. No, she's isn't even fit to be called a cat. She's more like a bothersome leech that won't leave us all alone."

"Bird! Bird!" Song cried, nearly crashing into the other cat's side.

Bird looked up at her sister in shock, her blue eyes widening at the sight of her panicked sister. "Song! What is it? Did you talk to Ice?"

"Yes, and you've got to hear what she said to me!" Song gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"What?" Bird asked, clearly puzzled. She sat down, waiting for Song to answer.

Song took a deep breath before replying. "I asked Ice why she stole our mates and what happened to them."

"What did she say?" Bird asked.

"She refused to tell me anything," Song admitted.

Shock rippled through Bird. "What? Why?"

Song kneaded the ground with her paws, hesitating before she answered. "Ice did say that she was finished with the toms after the kittens were born."

Bird closed her eyes, as if watching a scene play out in front of her. Speaking slowly, as if trying put together what Ice's words meant, she mewed, "So that means that Claw…"

"Yes! Claw will die!" Song cried, finishing the words her sister wouldn't say. In her heart, she knew it was the truth, even though she desperately hoped it wasn't and Ice was only joking.

Bird sprang to her paws, eyes wide with fear and anger. "Oh, no! Not my Claw! Come on, Song, we've got to find him before it's too late!"

Song nodded. "I know!"

The two she-cats pelted through the trees, calling Claw's name loudly. All the sunlight that once streamed through the leaves had disappeared. Clouds now blanketed the sky in darkness, sending a cold chill through Song, who was growing more anxious by the moment. It was if the sudden darkness was a bad omen, and the she-cat was beginning to feel that they were too late to save Claw from Ice.

A low moan rang through the nearby trees. Bird stopped in her tracks, swiveling her ears toward the sound.

"Did you hear that Song?" she asked.

Song paused, concentrating on the sounds of the forest. She didn't hear anything unusual. "Hear what?"

The moaning sound came again, this time loud enough for Song to hear.

"That sound," Bird replied.

"That could be Claw!" Song gasped.

Bird and Song hurried to where they had heard the moaning, not prepared for the brutal sight they were about to see. A limp white shape lay motionless on the ground. Blood stained what was left of Claw's fur, which had been pulled out in clumps, leaving bare patches of skin. Deep, long scratches laced his pelt, and one ear was completely shredded. It was clear that Claw had been savagely attacked. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest gave any indication that the cat was still alive, but just barely.

"Oh…oh my goodness," Bird gasped.

"Oh, no," Song sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Claw! What happened?" Bird cried.

The mangled tom lifted his head slowly, trying to focus on the two cats standing before him. He opened his mouth to speak, choking out each word as if it caused him great pain. "Ice…kittens born…done with me…knew too much…had to die…kittens…" Claw's head fell back to the ground, his sides heaving as he fought for breath.

"Oh, my gosh! Ice had her kittens!" Song exclaimed.

Claw nodded slowly. "Knew too much…couldn't be trusted."

Bird pressed her nose against Claw's pelt. "Did Ice do this to you?" she asked quietly.

"No…her…friend," Claw coughed.

Song tipped her head to one side, bewildered. "Friend?"

"I don't understand," Bird said, glancing up at Song with confusion in her deep blue eyes. Turning back to her mate, she asked, "Claw, who did this to you?"

Claw stared at Bird for a moment, mustering up enough strength to answer. "It was…" Claw's voice faltered, his eyes rolling back. The battered tom breathed one last time, then lay completely.

Bird jumped back in horror. "Claw! Claw!"

Song nudged her sister, trying to comfort her. "Claw is dead, Bird. I'm so sorry," she whispered, bowing her head.

"No, no, no, no! He can't be dead! It can't be true!" Bird wailed, pressing her dark gray body around Claw.

"I'm sorry, Bird, but it is true. Claw _is_ dead," Song repeated, not knowing what she could say that would make her sister feel better."

Bird stared at Claw with hollow, empty eyes. "Claw is…dead," she mewed slowly, as if she barely understood the words she was saying. Suddenly, her eyes sparked with anger. The she-cat rose to her paws, glaring at an image only she could see. "Ice will pay for this. I'll flay her! Just wait until I get my claws on her…"

Song nodded in agreement, but she remembered something just as her sister was speaking, something more important than revenge. "Claw said Ice's kittens were born. We need to find them before Ice kills them," she hissed urgently.

"Claw's kittens…my Claw's kittens," Bird whispered, glancing at her mate's body. Her body tensed, as if preparing to attack at that moment. Then she relaxed her muscles, staring at Song with anger and urgency in her eyes. "I'll search for them even if it takes all night. Ice will not hurt this litter," she declared.

Song nodded, already thinking about who they could ask for help. "I'm going to find Sasha and see if she will help us look for the kittens."

Bird padded away from Claw, walking briskly. Her tail lashing, she turned back to face Song. "Hurry!"


	5. Chapter 5

_**(Sorry the chapters are so short. As I stated in chapter 1, this was adapted from a play I wrote years ago. I wrote really short scenes, and since then I have gone back and added a lot, but they are still kind of short. I've added quite a bit to change it into story form, but this is as long as they are probably going to get unless I figure out how to make them better. As for who Ice's friend is, that will be revealed in a later chapter. I think it will be in Chapter 8. All of Ice's story will be revealed then.)**_

Chapter 5

Two young cats sat together underneath a large maple tree, watching the world go by without a care. The tom, a ginger and white cat, studied the forest around him, making observations. "The weather is nice today," he mewed, lifting his head toward the forest canopy and closing his eyes as a stream of sunlight peered through the trees.

A pale ginger she-cat nodded. With a glance at the tom, she meowed, "Yes, but it won't be long before the snow comes."

"You don't know what snow is, Sasha. You were only born at the beginning of spring," the tom said, his green eyes shining.

Sasha flicked her tail. "True enough, but Song told me about snow. She said it's very cold and covers the grass in a white blanket, Hawk."

Hawk nodded in agreement, and then opened his mouth as if he were going to reply. Before he could, however, the loud cries of two cats interrupted him.

"Sasha! Sasha!" Song called, nearly crashing into the young cats as she skidded to a halt, Bird right on her paws.

Sasha straightened up, alarm sparking in her deep blue eyes. "Song? What's the matter?"

"We found Claw!" Bird gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"Is he alright?" Sasha asked, flashing a fearful glance at Hawk.

Bird's eyes lowered, staring sadly at the ground. "He's dead now," she murmured quietly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Sasha replied, brushing her tail along Bird's side comfortingly

Song stepped forward, a look of urgency clouding her gaze. "Before he died, Claw said that Ice's new kittens had been born."

Bird nodded. "We need to find them!"

Sasha took a step back, shaking her head. She clearly did not want to get involved with Ice. "_We? _Why should I help find the kittens? What Ice does to her kittens is none of my business."

Song sighed. She padded up the young she-cat, the cat she had raised from kithood. The dark gray cat nervously prepared herself to tell her "daughter" a secret that had long been hidden. "Sasha, maybe now is the best time to tell you this…"

"Tell me what?" Sasha asked, looking confused.

Song swallowed, wishing she didn't have to tell Sasha the truth. After hesitating a long moment, Song mustered up all of her courage and took a deep breath. "Ice…is your mother."

Sasha shook her head angrily, "No, Song, _you're _my mother," she said, adding less certainly, "Aren't you?"

"No. I raised you, but I am not your mother. I stole you from Ice because I thought you would die like the kittens from her first litter. I went back to get your siblings, but they were already dead," Song meowed, staring into Sasha's trouble blue eyes.

The pale ginger she-cat shifted her paws. "What happened to them?" she asked nervously.

"Ice killed them. She killed all the kittens from her first litter, as well," Song growled, lashing her tail in anger.

Sasha recoiled in horror. "Oh my…" she gasped, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

Bird padded forward. "Ice will kill her new kittens if we don't hurry and save them!" she hissed urgently.

Sasha nodded slowly, finally understanding the importance of saving the kits. "Well, okay. I'll help you look for them."

"So will I," Hawk added, his eyes gleaming in anger.

Song heaved a sigh of relief. "Good."

Bird began walking away from the group hurriedly. She turned around to stare at her friends. "Let's go!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Song sprinted through the dense forest floor, leaping over branches and dead leaves. Bird, hard on her heels, was panting heavily as she tried to keep up with her sister. Sasha and Hawk followed closely behind. The dark gray she-cat felt as if she was running faster than she ever had before, but she was determined to find the kit before Ice was able to hurt them.

"Do you hear anything, Song?" Sasha gasped.

Song shook her head. "No," she mewed, stumbling to a halt.

The other cats stopped running, happy to have a moment to catch their breath. Hawk tipped his head thoughtfully. "The kittens can't be far. The Great Forest isn't _that_ big."

"No, it just seems like it is. We have to find those kittens before it's too late," Bird meowed, glancing around nervously, as if she expected Ice to pop out from behind a tree at any moment, ready to attack.

Song nodded. "We'll find them," she said confidently.

The group paused for a moment as a strange noise sounded from nearby. Song pricked her ears up. The noise sounded like kits, but she wasn't certain. Perhaps it was merely a catbird high up in a tree.

"I heard something," Hawk meowed.

"So did I," Song echoed, beginning to believe that Ice's kittens were close.

Sasha had the same idea. "It could be the kittens!"

Song nodded, and began padding slowly toward the sound. As she got closer, the noise became clearer. It was definitely the sound of kittens, and unhappy ones at that. These kittens were crying loudly and angrily, clearly in need of attention.

Bird paused in her steps. "We must be getting closer."

Song glanced back at her sister. "The crying is really loud!"

Hawk, ever the wise, narrowed his eyes. "If the kittens are very young, they'll be hungry."

"You're probably right. We know Ice isn't going to feed them," Song mewed through gritted teeth.

"No, she'll just torture them," Bird added, lashing her tail.

Sasha's blue eyes widened in horror. "That's terrible!" she gasped.

"Sasha, your mother isn't the nicest cat in the forest," Bird growled.

"I know that now, but before I knew the truth I thought Song was my mother. I think I'd rather believe Song really is my mother," Sasha meowed, flashing a nervous glance at the dark gray she-cat who raised her. Song nodded at her daughter encouragingly, happy to hear than Sasha was willing to consider Song her true mother.

Hawk shifted his paws. "Ice isn't my mother, is she?" he asked tentatively.

Bird shook her head. "No, thank goodness. You really are Squirrel's kitten. Tiger was your father."

Song turned to Hawk to give him a better explanation. "You were born right after Ice came to the forest. After Tiger's disappearance, Squirrel was so terribly upset that she could barely take care of you at all."

Bird nodded, adding, "Dusty helped Squirrel care for you. Without him, I don't know if you would have survived."

"He's a good cat. I'm glad my mother has him," Hawk meowed, flicking his tail.

Sasha stopped in her tracks, swiveling her ears madly. "The kittens are really loud. We must be close!"

Song glanced around, looking for a place nearby that could be used as a nest. She spotted a tree with a large hole carved out of the trunk. "Why don't we check under that tree over there?" she suggested.

Sasha hurried over to the tree, sticking her head into the hole. "Oh!"

Bird, who had followed Sasha, peered into the tree. "We found them!" she cried joyfully.

"How many are there?" Song asked, relieved that the kittens were still alive.

Hawk shouldered his way between Sasha and Bird. "One…two…three. There are three kittens."

Bird turned to Song. "Let's get them out of here before Ice comes back," she mewed.

"Good idea," Song replied. She looked into the trunk, seeing the three tiny kittens staring up at her with huge, scared eyes. "It's alright, little ones. You're coming with us."

She lowered her head, lifting one of the kittens out of the trunk. Bird and Sasha follow suit, each taking one of the kittens.

The kitten swinging from Song's jaws wailed piteously. "Where are we going?"

The other two kittens echoed their sister's cry. "I don't want to go! Put me down! I want my mother!" they cried angrily.

"Don't be afraid. We're going to take you some place safe," Song murmured comfortingly.

"Where will we hide them from Ice?" Hawk asked.

Bird replied almost instantly. "I'll keep them in my hollow tree."

"Alright," Hawk replied, falling behind Bird so he could follow her to her nest.

Song glanced around cautiously, aware of how dangerous the situation was. "We need to hurry. Ice could return at any moment."

Hawk threw her a worried look. "I hope she doesn't. Let's get out of here before she finds us," he meowed.

Suddenly, a hiss sounded from a branch in the tree. Song glanced up, horrified to see Ice staring down at them.

"Where are you going with my kittens?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"_I said_, where are you going with my kittens?" Ice repeated, glaring at the others coldly.

Song gently put the kitten she holding down on the soft ground. She prepared to explain to the white she-cat why they were taking her kittens away. Bird, having put another kitten down, had already stepped forward, ready to offer her own explanation.

"We've got them, Ice. We won. You will not hurt this litter," the light gray she-cat meowed.

Ice leaped gracefully down from her perch. Landing on the roots of the tree she'd been resting in, she paced forward, standing nose to nose with Bird. "What I do with my kittens is not your concern," she meowed loftily.

"It is now. Song and I found Claw. He told us the kittens had been born," Bird replied, lashing her tail.

The white she-cat's eyes widened in shock. "Claw is _alive_?" she gasped, obviously expecting to hear that the tom had perished.

Bird's eyes dropped. "He was," she mewed sadly.

Ice shook her head madly, infuriated by the news. After a long pause, she hissed, "How much did you hear?"

Song decided she needed to intervene. She wasn't sure if Bird would be able to stop herself from lashing out at the arrogant white cat, knowing that she was responsible for Claw's death. "We only know that you had a friend destroy Stone, Tiger, and Claw because they knew too much about you. Ice, _who is this friend?"_

Ice sighed with relief, clearly pleased that the forest cats knew little about the toms' death. She turned to face Sasha. "You might as well know that I am your mother, not _her," _she hissed, flicking her tail at Song.

The pale ginger she-cat put the kitten she was carrying down and glared at Ice. "I already knew that. Song told me earlier today."

Ice nodded. Glancing from Sasha to Hawk and back again, she meowed, "How much did the two of you hear?

Hawk stepped forward to answer her. "I didn't hear anything. Sasha and I weren't with Song and Bird when they were with Claw."

"Well, everything they just said is true," Ice said. "I'm guessing you want to know the full story."

"You're willing to tell us?" Song asked, surprised.

Ice shook her elegant white head slowly. "No, but do I really have a choice?"

This time it was Bird's turn to shake her head. "Absolutely not. You will tell us everything or there will be major consequences," she threatened.

"I have a feeling there will be consequences regardless of whether or not I tell you anything," Ice relented.

"There may well be. Tell us the truth and we shall see," Bird growled, sitting down to listen to Ice's tale.

Ice sighed, exasperated. "Fine, but you will not like the story I have to tell. Do you really want to hear it?"

Song nodded. "Yes," she hissed. "We do."

"We have to know who this friend is," Bird added.

Ice took a deep breath, closing her dark blue eyes. "Then sit down and I'll tell you my story."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I came to The Great Forest four seasons ago," Ice began. "Before then, I was a housecat. I lived a life of luxury. I had a beautiful house and people who loved me more than anything. I dined on the finest foods and the creamiest milk there could be."

Sasha tipped her ginger head to one side in confusion. "The finest foods?"

Ice nodded. "Yes. I was so happy at that house. I had everything a cat could ever want. I was called Snowball back then, not Ice."

"Your name wasn't always Ice?" Bird asked.

No, I changed it later," Ice replied. Continuing, she meowed quietly, "My life was wonderful until tragedy struck. My house caught on fire one night during a horrible storm. I managed to escape, but my people weren't able to get out in time. They died, leaving me homeless and alone."

Song recoiled in horror as she pictured Ice's home being burned down, leaving her with nothing. Disappointed in herself, Song couldn't help feeling sorry for the white she-cat. She wasn't the only one, however.

"How awful!" Sasha gasped, her eyes wide with shock.

Ice's deep blue eyes stared into the air, seeing her past unfold before her. "My life was turned upside down that night," she murmured, her voice trembling slightly. "I lost everything and had nowhere to go."

"What did you do?" Song asked, feeling her heart melt with sympathy.

Ice squeezed her eyes shut, as if trying to block out the memories. "I moved into another house, but this home was very different. These people were cruel. They made it clear that my presence was not welcome there. They didn't ever feed me and I was beaten every day."

"Why would they do that?" Hawk asked, bewildered.

Ice shook her head sadly, her blue eyes brimming with pain. "I don't know. I never figured that out. They did have another cat, though. Her name was Lady. She got everything she wanted. Even their dog was treated better than me!"

"Didn't Lady help you?" Sasha questioned.

"No," Ice hissed coldly. "Lady was a heartless cat who cared for no one but herself."

"So how did you escape?" Bird asked, clearly entranced by the tale.

Ice was quiet for a moment, and she sat studying her paws as if she didn't want to continue. After a long pause, she finally meowed, "The dog, Smokey, helped me. He was so kind. Smokey would do anything for me. My only friend…"

A sudden realization hit Song. She could connect the dots to figure out what had been on her mind for most of the day. "He's the friend who killed Tiger, Stone, and Claw!" she gasped.

Ice turned to face Song, her blue eyes burning with anger. "Yes. You figured it out," she hissed, her voice full of contempt for the forest cat. "I said he would do anything for me; and he would, even if it meant someone had to die."

Sasha stared at her birth mother with shock. "But _why?_" she mewed.

"I lost everyone I had ever loved. The ones I should have been able to trust were cruel. After suffering so much loss and abuse, there was no way that I would ever be able to love anyone again," Ice mewed, her voice once again filled with sadness.

Bird looked unconvinced. "Then why would you take a mate if you knew you would never love him?" she asked.

"I tried to love again," Ice replied, as if her motives made up for her actions. "I thought if I found someone who loved me and would always be there for me that I could move on and be happy again. Unfortunately, my plan failed. Each tom was already in love with someone else. I couldn't bear to know those toms would never really love me. Their hearts would always belong to another cat, so I had them murdered. I wanted to make sure no one would have the happiness I wanted so badly."

"That's horrible!" Sasha gasped.

While the other cats stared at Ice in shock from her story, Song had another question that begged to be asked. "But what about the kittens? Why did they have to die?"

Ice shook her head slowly. She almost looked apologetic, but when she spoke, her voice held no remorse for the kittens' deaths. "I could not bring myself to love them, either. My past hardened my heart, making it impossible for me to love anyone, even my own kittens. I thought if I loved them, they would die just like my family did. I killed them before I had the chance to love them. Sasha is the only surviving kitten from my first two litters," she murmured, glancing at her daughter.

Now it was Sasha's turn to shake her head. "I'm yours by blood only. Song raised me as her own daughter, so I will forever call myself hers."

"Well said," Song whispered to the young she-cat.

Ice's eyes narrowed, the sadness that once filled them was replaced with cold bitterness. "So now you know the truth. Happy now?" she hissed.

Bird was already on her paws, glaring at the white she-cat. "No. Ice, you're coming with us. _Now."_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Deep in the heart of the Great Forest lay a clearing- a place where the trees separated, forming a circle around a soft, grassy center. Sunlight shone brightly over the clearing, offering no shade. A large boulder stood at one end of the circle, just under the tree line. All the cats of the forest gathered in that clearing now, having heard that there would be a trial for the most hated cat in the forest. Each forest cat was eager to see the white she-cat stand before them and answer for her cold bitterness, though not yet knowing what events had brought on this standoff.

Song padded into the clearing, at stared at all the other cats with a dumbfounded expression on her face. They didn't even know why there was going to be a trial, and the dark gray she-cat wondered why they would want to watch. She slowed down in order to allow Bird to pass her, and her sister leaped to the top of the boulder effortlessly. The Great Forest had no official leader, but when one was needed Bird acted as one.

"Cats of The Great Forest, the trial of Ice will begin now," Bird announced. "Song, please tell everyone why we're here today."

Song cleared her throat, ready to tell her forest-mates of the atrocities Ice had been responsible for. "Ice has lived here for four seasons. In that time, three tomcats and two litters of kittens have disappeared because of the bitterness in her heart. Today justice is finally being served."

A cat from somewhere in the clearing called, "I don't see what the big deal is." A few other cats echoed their agreement.

Squirrel, Hawk's mother, stood up from her spot and paced to the front of the border. Lashing her tail, she cried, "Tiger's gone! _My_ Tiger! She killed him!"

"Squirrel, please be quiet," Bird mewed, glancing down at the ginger she-cat.

"Ice had a litter of kittens with Tiger, Stone, and Claw, who are now all dead. All the kittens from Tiger's litter were murdered. Sasha is the only kitten from Stone's litter that survived," Song meowed, continuing the story.

"What did Ice do to them?" a curious voice called.

Song lifted her head to look for the cat who had asked. "Ice had a dog slaughter the toms, and Ice murdered all the kittens."

Another cat called up a second question. "Why would the kittens have to die?"

"Ice is a cruel cat. There is no love inside her, only hatred," Song replied, turning to glare at the white she-cat, so sat looking ever-so-calm at the base of the boulder.

"Love is a useless emotion. All it causes is pain and sadness," Ice shrugged.

Bird looked over the edge of the rock to stare at Ice, "Be quiet, Ice. It is not time for you to speak yet."

Ice glared up at the pale gray she-cat defiantly. "I'll say what I want when I want. If you dare tell me otherwise, I'll have you murdered just like my kittens," she hissed.

"You will not murder anyone. I am leader here and you will do as I say," Bird replied hotly.

The elegant white cat shook her head slowly. "I most certainly will not," she meowed loudly. "I am the leader of my own life. If you think you can tell me what to do, I can kill you in a heartbeat. I killed my own kittens in cold blood, so don't think I can't kill anyone else I feel deserves to die."

The crowd of cats in the clearing began shouting cries of anger at Ice's open defiance of Bird's order, as well as the atrocious crimes she had committed.

"Kill Ice!"

"Make her feel like her victims!"

"Banish her from the forest!"

"Blind her!"

Bird waited patiently as the cats yowled threats at Ice. After a few moments, she silenced the crowd. "Quiet!" she yowled.

Dusty, who had padded up to stand beside Squirrel, was staring at Ice with horrified amber eyes. "Who could ever kill young kittens like that?" he asked, talking to no one in particular.

Squirrel answered her mate's rhetorical question. "The most evil cat to ever walk in this forest."

Ice licked her paw calmly, gazing at the two forest cats with expressionless blue eyes. "Look at it this way: If I hadn't murdered Tiger, you two lovebirds would never be together," she meowed.

"Squirrel knew she had to move on," Dusty hissed at Ice. "It was winter and she need help caring for Hawk. She couldn't nurse him and hunt for herself. I offered to help."

"Tiger would approve if he knew," Squirrel added.

"I want you all QUIET!" Bird screeched. She turned to glare down at the white she-cat. "Ice, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"Justify myself to a bunch of lazy self-centered bunch of forest cats? Never!"

"Do it. Now," Bird growled coldly.

Ice sighed angrily, giving in to the gray cat's demand. "I was new here. New place, new life, but because of what I had been through, I would never be the cat I once was. I had turned into a cold, angry cat with a bitter want for revenge against all living things."

"You are pure evil," Song hissed.

Sasha, who was sitting next to Song, nodded her agreement. "If you had just tried to be kind, you wouldn't be here, being humiliated in front of the entire forest," she meowed.

"If I hadn't stolen Stone, _you_ wouldn't be here," Ice reminded her daughter.

The pale ginger she-cat looked away. "Um…I have no further comments."

"I thought not," Ice hissed.

"Ice, because of your actions, you are banished from The Great Forest," Bird howled, loudly enough for every cat in the clearing to hear.

"No!" Ice yowled. "You can't do this to me! I'll stay here for as long as I want to and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"Then you leave me no choice," Bird meowed coldly. Calling a cat from the clearing, she meowed, "Lion, take her out of The Great Forest."

A huge, burly ginger tom stepped through the crowd of cats, pushing his way to stand before the boulder. "Will do," he meowed gruffly. He unceremoniously grabbed Ice by the scruff of her neck, pulling her out of the clearing. Ice, much smaller than the tom, was powerless to free herself.

Ice's yowls faded as she was dragged away from the forest cats, her voice echoing through the clearing. "I'll be back! You'll see! You can't get rid of me this easily!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Song settled down on a soft grassy patch of ground. She looked up at the sky, which was a sea of pink and purple light as the sun began to set. Her sister padded up to her and sat down close by, heaving a heavy sigh. After a long day, both Song and Bird were ready for some peace.

The two cats sat quietly for a long while watching the setting sun. After a while, Squirrel, Dusty, Sasha, and Hawk joined them. As the four newcomers sat down, Squirrel meowed, "Ice is finally gone."

Song nodded, relieved that the white she-cat would never be seen in the Great Forest again. "I'm glad that's all over," she mewed.

"Way too much drama for my taste," Bird agreed.

"Now we can all live in peace," Squirrel said, echoing Song's earlier thoughts.

Dusty looked as relieved as Song felt. "Ice will never hurt another cat."

Only Sasha still looked worried at the mention of the evil white cat. "She threatened that she'd be back. Do you really think she meant that?"

Song groaned. "I hope not. I don't ever want to see her again."

Squirrel nodded. "I agree. Ice should know she's not welcome here. We won't be seeing her again."

"And her kittens are safe with Bird," Song added.

Bird nodded proudly. "I've named them Tulip, Petal, and Storm."

"How sweet!" Sasha exclaimed, exchanging a pleased glance with Hawk.

The ginger and white tom nodded. "Now we can prepare for winter," he meowed.

"And prepare for some happier news!" Sasha mewed cheerfully.

Song raised her head in surprise. After spending a day with Ice, she didn't think there could be any happier news than to see the she-cat banished from the forest. There was more good news?

Squirrel looked just as surprised. "Like what?"

Sasha's eyes glowed with pride. "I'm expecting Hawk's kittens!" she announced.

"You are?" Song gasped, staring at her daughter in shock.

"That's great!" Bird meowed.

"My son's going to be a father! I'm so proud!" Squirrel exclaimed, giving Hawk a warm look.

Dusty rested his tail on Squirrel's side. "I'm sure Tiger would be proud, too."

"I won't tell them about Ice. They can believe Song is my mother if that's alright," Sasha mewed, shooting Song a hopeful glance.

Song nodded gladly. "Of course it is!"

Sasha sighed. "Now we can start a new season."

Hawk nodded. "New life."

"New troubles?" Dusty suggested.

All four she-cats groan in mock horror. "Oh, no!"

Not too far from the Great Forest, in a meadow filled with grass and prey, a white she-cat was seething with anger and had a strong thirst for vengeance. "Those forest cats will pay for what they did to me. By this time next year I'll have my revenge!"

_**(Thanks for reading this! I know it wasn't one of my best works, but it was fun to write.)**_


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